Feelings: I dont like Stoke. They play like thugs and support pricks like Ryan Shawcross. They rely on set pieces and play a brand of football more throat slittingly boring than a documentary about the life and times of Justin Bieber. That being said, they will stay up. Their combative style will generate points and lower mid table obscurity will be obtained. What will be interesting to see is how they do in the Europa League and what European commitments impact on their premier league form.

Feelings: Bolton have a good manager and for the first time in the post Sam Allarydce era play some attractive football. Owen Coyle has also in the past two seasons made some wonderful loan signings in Jack Wilshere and then Daniel Sturridge and many of the big boys would happily send a developing youngster to Bolton for the season. Last year they were pushing for Europe and then fell right back off the pace. At the end of the day, they will be disappointed with that finish and will surely be aiming for higher. Chris Eagles is a good signing and its unfortunate that Tyrone Mears has broken his leg now as they return to work for their old boss!

Feelings: Blackburn are a difficult team to take seriously. They have just stared in a chicken advert for their owners (Venkys). If you haven’t seen it, youtube it now! Its hilariously bad and its hilariously embarrassing. They have spent no money to improve an average side and lost their promising centre half. I can see only one way for them and that is down.

Feelings: They have done a lot of shopping. Steve Bruce has been like a women who gets her husbands credit card around a Woolworths sale and goes crazy. They made ridiculous money off of Liverpool for an unproven youngster and have spent it all over the place. O’Shea and Brown will add experience, Larsson was great with Bruce before and Craig Gardner looks exciting. They also secured the much sought after Wickham. This with Gyan and Cattermole already there and I think Steve Bruce has a squad capable of a top 8 finish. They just need to keep their home form as deadly as always.

Feelings: There is a certain storm rising in Villa. They reward Alex McLeish for being the worst manager and a ginger in getting Birmingham relegated by offering him the job at Villa. Arguably they have made two good signings in Given and N’Zogbia (N’Zogbia for Downing and 10million essentially is ridiculously good business), but the discontent at signing the manager of your bitter rivals is evident. They are no longer the team from the Martin O’Neill era and will have to overly rely on a quick but limited Gabby Agbonglahor to win them games and points. I don’t see them going down, but I cant see them returning to the heights of the Europa League again.

First 5 Fixtures and Expectations:

Fulham (a) – 1 point

Blackburn (h) – 3 points

Wolves (h) – 3 points

Everton (a) – 0 points

Newcastle (h) – 3 points

Total Expected – 10 points

That’s all for today, see you tomorrow when we look at the mid table obscurities (Featuring Liverpool of course!)